Recovering alcohol addict urges others to get help

Henry Mackley said his "self-medication" with alcohol nearly killed him

A man who is recovering from alcohol addiction is encouraging others like him to seek help.

Henry Mackley, 46, from Ludlow, said his drinking "spiralled" after the coronavirus pandemic and nearly killed him.

Three months ago, he started working for With You, a national charity which supports people with alcohol, drug and mental health issues.

He said the advice which helped him the most was: "Don't be embarrassed about it, you're not alone."

Mr Mackley used to run a deli in Ludlow and said before 2020 his life had revolved around food.

He added he had been "a classic case of somebody who struggled during the pandemic" and that he "self-medicated" with alcohol.

"I was in denial about how serious my drinking problem was," he said.

When he lost his mother, things got worse and he hit a "fairly brutal rock bottom" towards the end of 2021, which he said nearly killed him.

Getting help was not easy and he was "terrified of getting help anywhere people might know me" because Ludlow is a small town.

After finishing a second rehab course, he said he went to visit the Ludlow branch of With You, which offers free support.

He added: "I immediately found this safe space where I wasn't judged, where I was able to talk about this mad condition that I had."

Helping others

After receiving help from the charity, he said he was inspired to help others by working there.

Passing his experiences and advice on to others was important for his own recovery too.

"It just reminds me how scary and how very brave it is to walk in through our doors and to put your hands up and to say, 'I can't do this on my own. I need some help'."

September is Recovery Month, when people celebrate their recovery from addiction.

Mr Mackley said he hoped to remind others they are not alone and "there are so many other people out there like you out there who are struggling".